


Field Trips

by Aaronna



Series: Past and Present [2]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: But that is the extent of Wendy in this fic, Filbrick was a cheapskate, Ford is clueless, Good Sister Mabel Pines, Minor spoilers only, Parental Issues, Spoilers - Gravity Falls: Lost Legends, Stan Pines is a Good Brother, Wendy has Dialogue, just so you know, vaguely canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 10:41:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16574888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronna/pseuds/Aaronna
Summary: A peak into Stanley Pines' protective mind. Stan never went on field trips so that Ford could go. Mabel tries to do the same thing, but Stan has it covered.





	Field Trips

Growing up in Glass Shard Beach NJ, money was tight for the Pines family. Because of that, school field trips were rare. It wasn't until middle school that Ford ever got to go on one. Stan didn't like riding on the bus, so he always stayed at the school. Or at least, that is what Ford thought. In truth, Stan had a deal with their Dad. He would stay home and help out in the mornings in the shop on the weekends to save up for the trips. Stan always told their Dad the price for one of them was half of what it really was and would write Lil’ Stanley comics while Ford was on the trip. So it was kinda a win-win. 

Years later in 2007

Mabel and Dipper had just moved to Gravity Falls that summer after their parents split up. It was their parents' idea, saying it would give them, the parents, time to get to sort through their issues. So, the twins were going to live with their great uncle until their parents either got a divorce or worked out their problems. 

The 8-year-olds knew how cheap Stan was by the time the field trip was announced, so the twins tried to save up the allowance their Dad was sending them to cover the cost, but after an accident with a glue gun, that money was used to replace somethings that Mabel had burned so Stan wouldn't know. That meant they would have to ask their uncle for the money.

Feeling responsible for the lack of funds, Mabel took it upon herself to talk to Stan. She told him about the field trip, where they would be going, and finally how much it would cost. When she saw the skeptical look on his face, she immediately offered to stay behind if it meant Dipper could go.

His response actually surprised her. “Kid, if I can't even pay 30 bucks to let you go on that trip with your brother, then I really shouldn't have the two o’ ya. I thought your folks had given ya some money for stuff like this? Not that it matters. I used to do the same thing for my own twin back in the day. I'd stay so he could go. I had to earn the money he used too otherwise neither of us gotta go. So don't ya worry Pumpkin, I ain't gonna do that ta you. I hope ya two have fun.”

And they did. That memory stuck with them when their parents got back together and they moved back to Piedmont. Sadly, that field trips was one of the few things they remembered about those 7 months.

5 years later

When Mabel heard Grunkle Stan call the Author his brother, she immediately remembered Stan telling her once that he had a twin, but couldn't really remember the why or when as she watched Grunkle Stan get punched in the face by her new mystery. It wasn't until after she and Stan saved Dipper and Ford from that dice wizard that she recalled that field trip and her talk with her Grunkle about the money. That trip was the first time Dipper even saw D D and more D played.

She didn't really give the memory much thought until after rescuing Grunkle Stan from those comics he was stuck in. When he explained how he used to write his own comics to save money and how he once wrote 6 issues while Ford was off on a field trip that a question bubbled up inside of her. One she felt had to be asked.

“Did Grunkle Stan ever go on a field trip with you Grunkle Ford?”

“No. He said the busses made him carsick, so he always stayed at school.”

“Dr. P, I have known Stan my whole life. He has no issue with busses. I think there was more to that.”

“Yeah. Like how he used to have to earn your trip money. He told me when we stayed here years ago that he used to stay behind so that there was enough money for you to go.”

The soft look Ford gave Stan from across the room made Mabel feel all warm inside like she had just drank a cup of hot chocolate. The two may still be fighting, but they still cared about each other. That was all Mabel could wish for right now.

**Author's Note:**

> Is this fluff? Nimble thought it was sad, so IDK...


End file.
